Also, the last Titan mission is not even cold yet.
I don't get it. :huh:
Outer planets choice is narrowed
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I don't get it. :huh:
I'm talking about another surface mission.
Titan did very limited exploration of the surface, and we still haven't had an in-situ exploration of the polar lakes.
tblaxland
O-F Administrator
Hmmm, and when was the last Jovian moon surface mission? Never?
Jovian moon surfaces are boring.
Admittedly, what is beneath is much more interesting.
From what I can gather, the mission will not include a lander, or will it?
tblaxland
O-F Administrator
Right you are, I didn't read that correctly.
JamesG
Orbinaut
Io? :hmm:
What would be nice/smart would be to jointly develop a common spacecraft platform that was modular to carry different landers, instruments, etc. "Mass produce" (relatively) them to take advantage of economies of scale, and besides using them for the inner solar system, when a window opens to the outer planets, salvo a fleet of them at each one. The major moons each get one, with maybe another devoted to the rings and primary planet. This constellation of satellites can be networked together in case any single one suffers a malfunction and to do multi-vantage point experiments.
Linguofreak
Well-known member
One reason for doing a surface mission to Titan is that Titan's thick atmosphere and low gravity make landing a cinch.
Io? :hmm:
What would be nice/smart would be to jointly develop a common spacecraft platform that was modular to carry different landers, instruments, etc. "Mass produce" (relatively) them to take advantage of economies of scale, and besides using them for the inner solar system, when a window opens to the outer planets, salvo a fleet of them at each one. The major moons each get one, with maybe another devoted to the rings and primary planet. This constellation of satellites can be networked together in case any single one suffers a malfunction and to do multi-vantage point experiments.
Io is in the middle of Jupiter's radiation belts. Land there, get fried.
As far as mass production goes, I've been daydreaming of that one for years.
Indeed.
Linguofreak
Well-known member
Not to mention the possibility of being wiped out by a volcanic plume.
Or landing on an unstable part of the crust and being destroyed.
Ghostrider
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JamesG
Orbinaut
But it's millions down the drain.
EDIT:
This pic isn't special.
If you're on acid, Earth looks like this too
JamesG
Orbinaut
Why? You can build landers and even orbiters that are shielded from the radiation and hostile environment.
Don't be so arrogant to presume you know what is "THE" place to go in the Jovian system. Life is as likely on Io as it is on Europa (as in "not very likely"). And even if there isn't, I'm sure the place has plenty of surprises and things to teach us.
Sure, but can you build a lander that can survive falling into molten lava?
Io is a volcanic wastland, bombarded by radiation, and with only a negligible atmosphere.
Whereas, the environments proposed to exist on Europa posess abundant liquid water, are shielded from the radiation put out by Jupiter, and are at the right temperature for life as we know it to survive.
I don't understand how you could think that life on Europa is that unlikely, as it posess similar environments to those some theorise spawned life on Earth billions of years ago.
Relatively speaking, I think we have much more of a chance of finding life
on Europa then Io.
Unless of course, the lifeforms on Io are silicon based and live in pools of liquid sulfur.
